Still
by Countess Eliza
Summary: "She didn't know she needed him. Javert told himself that countless times. She was nothing but a child. A waif who sought protection. But still." Ever since the first moment Javert saw her, he knew this was love. He would do anything for Cosette to be his own. One shot.


**I recently got to see Les Mis live and, of course, I love it! I came up with this idea during the proformence, as well as many others. You can expect a lot of Les Mis stories soon.**

**I don't own Les Miserables.**

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Still

She didn't know she needed him. Javert told himself that countless times. She was nothing but a child. A waif who sought protection. But still.

Still.

There was something that sparked inside of him when he saw her at the robbery scene. Javert only saw her for a second before her father guarded her from the inspector's view. The fear in her eyes. That was all Javert saw of her. The man that was trying to rob her father told him that the girl was a child that he stole from him. 24601. A plan was starting to form in his mind.

Later that night, Javert found himself walking by Rue Plumet. It was supposed to be a simple walk to clear his head, but as soon as he heard voices the inspector followed them. He found three people. One male who looked as if he had seen an angel. The other two were girls. As one stood in the shadows Javert could see the other one. This girl had to be the one he had seen earlier. Again, Javert felt that spark light up from inside. The girl seemed to be deeply engrossed in her conversation. Her eyes never left the boy. What would he do for her to look at him that way?

"My name is Marius Pontmercy," the boy introduced himself.

"And mine's Cosette!"

_Cosette. _A lovely name. One fit for a girl just like her. _Cosette. _How he yearned to call out to her. Javert lived to say that name. The only thing he ever wanted was for Cossette to be his own.

Finally, Javert left. All he could think of was his beloved. Her eyes seemed to shine even brighter in the moonlight. He needed her. Cosette did not know it yet, but she would nee him.

Javert would make sure of that.

* * *

After a few more nights of watching Cosette from afar, Javert was able to catch a glimpse of her father. 24601 had aged since the last time Javert saw him. His plan was complete within minutes. One full of wickedness.

Javert approached the gate, one sunny morning. He was dressed in his best uniform. From what he could tell, Cosette was inside on such a lovely day. Javert knocked on the door to their small home.

"May I help you, monsieur?" Cosette asked, opening the door.

"Is your father here, mademoiselle?" Javert looked around. "I need to speak to him."

The girl eyed him strangely. "Let me go fetch him for you. Is this about the robbery?"

"May I help you, monsieur?" Cosette asked, opening the door.

"Is your father here, mademoiselle?" Javert looked around. "I need to speak to him."

The girl eyed him strangely. "Let me go fetch him for you. Is this about the robbery?"

This caught him off guard. Cosette still remembered the robbery? But even more, himself. A perfect start. She at least knew who he was. Javert couldn't help the grin that crept onto his face.

"Yes," he answered.

Cosette led him inside. "Please, take a seat. I'll be back in a moment." She ducked into another room.

As Javert looked around the parlor, he was surprised to see old pictures framed. Most of them were drawings from when Cosette was younger. One showed her as a princess. Others were of a castle on a cloud. Countless told stories of Valjean and Cosette together. Over the fireplace held an official portrait of them. Valjean was seated while Cosette's hand rested on his shoulder. That must have been from about two years ago.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" said Valjean, stepping into the parlor. When Javert reviled himself, his expression turned dark. "You!"

Before Valjean could move, Javert pulled out his sword. The old man didn't dare play any tricks while his enemy's weapon was facing his chest. For once in his life, he was completely still.

"I've not come to arrest you, 24601," Javert explained, "But I wish to marry your daughter."

"Leave my daughter out of this, Javert!" Valjean roared, "I doubt you know her at all."

"But that is where you are wrong, 24601. I've spent many-a-night listening to her talk to a boy. What was his name, oh yes, Marius Pontmercy. Sometimes they would sing together. Cosette had quite the voice."

As he droned on about the girl he loved, Javert's weapon started to slip. Valjean grabbed the first thing closest to him: a butter knife. The only object that could be used as a weapon. The sight of the former convict yielding the knife as if it were a sword make Javert smirk.

"Who is this Marius Pontmercy you speak of?" Valjean questioned.

The inspector raised an eyebrow. "You do not know? He is your daughter's lover. The reason I've been able to get to know your daughter so well."

Valjean looked aghast. His daughter in love? The little girl who he had saved all those years ago. He had known that she wasn't young anymore for a while now. But it still came to him as a shock.

"I will make you a deal, 24601," said the inspector.

"My name is Jean Valjean."

"-You won't spend the rest of your days rotting in a prison cell if I marry your daughter."

"No. Not Cosette."

Speaking of the girl, Cosette sweet gracefully into the room. A sense of innocent surrounded her. Javert couldn't help but stare at the beauty.

"Papa, what's going on?" she wondered, "I thought I heard you calling me."

"Cosette, will you marry me?" asked Javert before Valjean could speak.

The girl couldn't hide her surprise. She looked from her father to Javert. Valjean felt helpless. The words had been said. There was no stopping it. He had no more options.

"Again, Papa, please tell me what's going on," Cosette begged, turning to her father's side. The action reminded him of how poor she was when he first found her.

"Cosette, darling," Javert replied, "I doubt that you knew this but your father stole a loaf of bread years ago.." He went on to tell the rest of the tale. No matter how many times Valjean interrupted, the inspector finished. Cosette's face was ghostly pale. "That is why you must make a choice. Either allow me to arrest your father or you marry me and I leave your father alone."

"If I marry you, my father will be safe?" Cosette took a seat next to her father. The two never let go of each other.

"I promise it, my dear."

"Don't do this, Cosette. I'll be fine. You can't live with this man," her father warned.

For a few moments, Cosette was silent. Just as the two men were. Javert wondered what was going on in her mind. Letting him go would be a sin. Tears filled her eyes as she spoke.

"You promise not to harm him?" Cosette repeated.

"Cosette-" Valjean began.

"I swear it on my life."

She drew in a sharp breath. "Then I will do it. I will marry you."

* * *

Guards were posted at their house. Their purpose was to protect the two of them was what Javert told them. But Cosette wasn't stupid. She knew the real reason why was because he didn't want them running away. Javert never let her out of his eyesight. She and her father looked miserable. Valjean refused to let his daughter out of his embrace. Cosette liked it that way. Ever since she was a child she knew that her father would protect her. Even though Valjean couldn't protect her then, she still felt safe.

Later that night, Cosette saw Marius out her balcony. As she stood up to greet him Javert rose as well. Valjean let her go to everyone's surprise.

"May I say goodbye in peace?" Cosette snapped.

Javert signaled his men to stop. Cosette left the room. She didn't even thank him. Javert made himself forget that fact. He was getting exactly what he wanted. Just being in the presence of Cosette was enough to make him happy.

In the garden, Marius didn't expect to see such a solemn girl. Even when he tried to comfort her, Cosette couldn't smile. Something was wrong. Had her father found out? Perhaps he hated Marius and wanted Cosette to stay away from him.

"Cosette, what's wrong today?" Marius whispered.

At his words, Cosette broke down. Marius held her as she sobbed into his shirt. He ran his hand through her hair. Cosette explained everything to her lover between hiccups.

"So we won't be together?" asked Marius after she was finished.

Cosette nodded. "I only hope that my papa and I will be able to think of something. But before I go, please kiss me one last time. The only thing I want is to feel your lips on mine."

As the couple shared their last kiss, Javert watched from afar. He wanted to kill Marius. Cosette was his. Not that Pontmercy's. He had no right to her. As much as he wanted to harm the boy he didn't. That would break his Cosette's heart. He had to make his Cosette happy.

For a moment the inspector wondered if it was wrong to do this. Separate those two young lovers. Make Cosette leave her father. Have all of Paris after him. But still.

Still.

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**I've been thinking about doing a sequel. Please tell me if you'd be interested!**

**Thanks for reading! Please review! **


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